Collarband construction for shirts



. Sept. 25, 1945. NORWQQD 2,385,638

COLLAR BAND CONSTRUCTION FOR SHIRTS Filed June 22, 1943 IN V EN TOR.

gf MIA 100d Patented Sept. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I zssssss cousanasn CONSTRUCTION FOR snmrs Doak Norwood, Chicago, Ill. Application June 22, 1943, Serial No. 491,702

6 Claims.

This invention relates to shirts of the type in which the collar is permanently attached to the shirt at the neckband.

One object of the invention is to provide fastening means for the two ends of the neckband which shall be more convenient to manipulate than the usual permanently mounted button at one end of the neck band, which cooperates with a buttonhole in the other end.

Another object or the invention isto provide a neckband for a shirt of the collar-attached type, arranged to utilizeeither a removable collar button or a sewed-on button permanently associated with the shirt.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a shirt of the collar-attached type with a neckband having a connecting button carried by a flexible tape or tab secured to the band and foldable. out of the position of use, together with provision for holding such tab at inactive position to permit the collar to 'be worn open with good appearance, or to utilize a removable collar button in a special buttonhole provided in the neckband for that purpose.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shirt of the collar-attached type, having a button permanently associated with the neckband for connecting its ends together, but with provision for using alternative fastening means at will.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a shirt of the collar-attached type, which may be considered as a shirt embodying thi invention, showing the same with the ends of the collar secured together, and with a necktie combined therewith.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing the parts in the same position as Fig. 1, but with the necktie omitted, and indicating in dotted outline a portion of the tab by which the connecting button is carried.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a shirt embodying this invention, showing the collar arranged to be worn open at the throat.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation on-a larger scale than the preceding figures, showing the neckbanu with a removable collar button positioned therein, and with the collar-carrying tab folded back out of service and secured to a special strap provided for that purpose.

Fig. 5 is a front showing the tab positioned ready for use in prep- 1 and substantially as indicated at line 8-8 on Fig. 4.

view similar to Fig. 4, but

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and re-arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited to the particular form herein shown and described, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

Heretofore, a shirt of the collar-attached type has been made customarily with a button sewed onto one end ofthe neckband to cooperatewith the buttonhole in the opposite end of the neckband for closing the collar, and this is fairly satisfactory when the collar is left soft and flexible. But when the collar is starched it is a matter of some diilicult-y to secure the ends of the neckband by entering the sewed-on button in the buttonhole and still avoid bending, folding or kinking the stlfl collar in such a manner as will destroy its neat appearance. With the collar already starched, it is usually necessary to enter the necktie in the fold of the collar before buttoning the ends of the neckband, and the presence of the tie tends to complicate the difilculty. My invention, however, provides an arrangment which supplies the usual'sewed-onbutton to be employed if the collar if left soft or unstarched, while permitting the use of a removable coliar button which can be more easily manipulated for connecting the ends of the neckband if the collar is starched. Briefly, I provide each end of the neckband with a buttonhole so that a removable collar button may be employed therein; and I then provide a tab which overlies one of the buttonholes and carries a sewed-on button which can be engaged with the buttonhole at the other end of the neckband when the collar is not starched. As a result; the collar assumes a neat and smooth appearance at all times, whether it is worn soft or starched, and the time and temper of the wearer is eonserved'in the process of fastening the collar and adjusting the tie therein.

arrangement usual manner.

Fig. 1 illustrates the desired appearance of the collar 1, with a" four-in-hand tie 2 worn in the usual manner. In Fig. z the tie being omitted, the points 3 and 4 of the collar are shown in their normal positions as secured by means of a, button 5 carried on a special tab 8, which is a feature of this invention. The tab 8 is more I' in the end portion G 'of the neckband. The portion 0 of the neckband is provided-vwith a strap III which is positioned uazler the point 3 of the collar so as to be hidden collar is in its normal position of When the collar is starched it wi-ll be found preferable to employ a "removable collarbutton,

suchas that shown at H in Fig. .4, and for that purpose the end portion t of the neckband is clearly seen in Fig. 5, with'its seWed-onbutton '5 positioned for engagement with the buttonhole leaves the shirt with no means of securing the ends of the neckband together.

Preferably, the neckband, and usually the remainder of the shirt will be made of pre-shrunk material, and with the tab 8 constructed of preshrunk, non-elastic material, the permanent fit, comfort and-good appearance of the collar will be assured in theemployment of the features of ereby, when the this invention. When the collar is worn open at the throat, as shown in Fig.3, the presence of a buttonhole at each end of the neckband affords a symmetrical effect, and the tab 6 and strap H) are entirely concealed under one wing of, the

. collar.-

Iclaim as my invention:

1. In a shirt of the collar attached type, a

. neckband having a buttonhole at each end, and

, a flexible tab secured to the outer face of the provided with aspeci'al buttonhole I2 to-receive such collar button. The buttonhole I in the other end of the neckband may then be fitted oventge button II for connecting the neckband in However, when the separate button H is employed it is desirable to have the tab 8 not only folded back to uncover the buttonhole II, but preferably-secured in that position in some manner. Accordingly, the strap I0 is made with a buttonhole I3 positioned to receive the button 5 when its tab 8 is folded back, as shown in Fig; 4. As thus shown and described, the collar is adapted for use either as a soft collar-in which case the sewed-on button 5 will be used as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5-or as a starched collar in which the ends of the neckband will be connected by means of the suppleneckband at one end in position to overlie one of said buttonholes, together with a button permanently secured to said tab on its outer face in position'to lie substantially over said buttonhole, and means to hold the free end of the tab folded back against the neckband away from said buttonhole-when the button of the tab is out of service;

mental or'separate collar button ll, shown in Fig. 4.

It may happen that in laundering a shirt ofthis type. the button I may be torn off, or that uponweakening of the threads it may come ofl in use. If this happens. it is a simple. matter to tuck the tab 8 under the strap II, where it will be entirely out of the way, thus permitting they use of the separate collar button I I, even with an unstarched collar, as. shown 11PM: 6.

(Again, it mayhappenjth t1 'tead of the ton I coming loose and :being 'los'tfromj'the tab 'Q,.'the strap 10 maybe loosened from its stitching at one end or the other, as, for example, as shown in Fig. '1. To provide for this contingency, an emergency buttonhole' ll is formed in the neckband and is normally disposed under the but;

strap l0; butif the strap should become loosened at one end it may be entirely removed, either forcibly or by cutting the remaining stitches by which'it is held, and then the buttonhole M will serve to engage the button 5 when the tab 6 is folded back out of the position of use.

Thus, with the provision of a sewed-on button carried on a supplemental tab at one end of the neckband, I secure the usual comfort or a fairly 2.111 a shirt of the collar attached type, a

neckband having a buttonhole at each end, and

a flexible tab secured-to the outer face of the neckband at one end in position tooverlie one of said buttonh'oles, together with a button permanently secured tosaid tab on its outer face in :poslition-iibliesubstantiallzi o'ver said buttonhole,

and ass t secureda't its ends to the outer face of the-neckband and having a buttonhole to re- ,.cei've-the button'of thetab when the tab is folded back away from ,the end of the neckband.

4. In a shirt, of the collar attached type, a neckband having a buttonhole at each end, and a flexible tab secured to the outer face of the neckband at one end in position'to overlie one of said buttonholes, together with a button permanently secured to said tab on its outer face in position to lie substantially over said buttonhole, said neckband havingian additional buttonhole set back from the end of the neckband which carries ,the tab, and said additional but- =tonhole being positioned to receive the button flat connection between the two ends of the neck-' band which may be employed whenever the collar itself is left unstarched; and by the provision of.

an extra buttonhole I2, to receive a separate button H, I provide for a convenient method of connecting the ends of the neckband when the collar is starched and therefore too stiff to be me.- nipulated easily or safely without the danger of cracking or creasing it in a manner which would render it unsightly. Furthermore, the dual fastening means thus provided .aflords. insurance against difliculty and embarassment, which might otherwise'arise from the loss of the usual sewedon button which, with the standard construction;

of the tab when the latter is folded back out of service position.

5. In a shirt of the collar attached type, a neckband having a buttonhole at each end, and a flexible tab secured to the outer faceof the neckband at one end in positon to overlie one of said buttonholes, together wi h a button permanently secured to said tab on its outer face in position to lie substantially, over said buttonhole,

- and a strap secured at its ends to the outer face l of the neckband and having a buttonhole positioned to receive the button of the tab when the tab is folded back away from the end of the neckband, said neckband having an additional buttonliole .directly under the buttonhole of the strap.

secured to the free end of said tab on its outer 8. In a shirt of the collar attached type, 8. turned down collar including a, neck bend having a. button hole at each end and a flexible tab secured to the outer face 01' the neck band near one end in positionto extend horizontally from under the collar and to overlie one or said butbutton permanently ton holes, together with a race in pcsiticn to lie substantially over said button hole, and means serving to hold said tab in an out-of-service position in which it is con- 5 cealed between the neck band and thecollar. DOAK NORWOOD. 

